Democratic women ‘gonna walk … talk … vote’

DALLAS – Democratic lawmakers at the center of last year’s abortion debate – including those atop their party’s ticket – said Friday their hopes of a win depend on the work to turn out the vote by and on behalf of women.

“You are going to make a difference,” Sen. Wendy Davis, the Fort Worth Democrat running for governor, told the women’s caucus at the Texas Democratic Convention.

She said volunteers already have made more than 1.5 million phone calls, she said, “and it’s only June.”
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, the San Antonio Democrat running for lieutenant governor, said the call to action is most important for Texans’ daughters and granddaughters.

“What happened … was about not being listened to. It was about not being respected,” Van de Putte said.

Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, gestured with a coat hangar, as she did last year during the debate over tighter abortion restrictions.

“You can make a difference in November,” she said. “Women will not be bullied and woman will fight back.”

Though not on the state ballot, Houston Mayor Annise Parker spoke to the caucus, drawing an enthusiastic reception as she said she was proud to be a delegate.

Sen. Royce West, the Dallas Democrat who is convention chairman, told the crowd that if Davis were governor, there wouldn’t have been a Voter ID bill, and that if Van de Putte were lieutenant governor, there wouldn’t have been $5.4 billion in education spending cutbacks in 2011.

“How many of you complain about Republicans? Don’t complain. Elections have consequences,” West said.

Referring to Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” West said, “Let’s make certain we hold that person in the mirror responsible.” He urged a “personal commitment to do everything in your power to be certain we elect Wendy Davis governor of the state of Texas and Leticia Van de Putte, lieutenant governor.”